Stanford Hospital, Packard Children’s receive top rankings

In August, the magazine evaluated 4,825 U.S. hospitals in 16 medical specialties for its 2011–12 “best hospitals” survey. Only 140 hospitals performed well enough to rank in even one specialty. Stanford Hospital & Clinics was No. 17 on the magazine’s honor roll, which recognizes hospitals that rank at or near the top in at least six specialties, demonstrating a breadth of excellence.

Stanford Hospital ranked among the top 25 in 10 specialties: cancer; cardiology and heart surgery; neurology and neurosurgery; nephrology; urology; orthopaedics; ear, nose and throat; rheumatology; gynecology; and psychiatry. U.S. News also ranked Stanford No. 1 among all hospitals in the San Jose metropolitan area.

Earlier in the year, in a ranking of children’s hospitals nationwide, the magazine placed three of Packard’s Children’s specialties in the nation’s top 10: cardiology/heart surgery (#5); neonatology (#6); and nephrology (#7). These rankings make Packard Children’s the only Bay Area children’s hospital with programs in the nation’s top 10.

“This distinction is a wonderful salute to our entire faculty and staff,” said Christopher G. Dawes, president and CEO of Packard Children’s. “They’re pioneers in pediatric and obstetric medicine, and it’s through their passion and innovation that we’ve built one of the nation’s best children’s hospitals.”

Hospitals were scored on a combination of factors, including the presence of key certifications and capabilities, performance on mortality outcome measures and assessment of reputation by experts at other medical centers.